Improvement in fire-escapes



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I. D. CROSS. FI.RE-ESCAPE.

No. 193,489. Patented J l 24,1877.

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ATTORNEYS,

.N-F'EIERS, PHOTO LITMOG 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. I. D. CROSS. FIRE-ESCAPE. N o193 4 8 9 Patented July 24, 1877.

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ATTORNEYS,

METERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

are FFICE.

IRA D. CROSS, or RENO, NEVADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-.ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [93,489, dated July 24,1877 application filed May 19, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IRA D. CROSS, of Reno, inthe county of Washoe and State of Nevada, have invented a new andvaluable Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of .the drawings is a representation of afront view of myfire-escape as applied. Figs. 2 and 3are side views. Fig. 4isa verticalsectional view, and Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective details, of the same.Fig. 7 is a perspective view of my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a fire-escape composed of a safety-ladder and an alarm, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate myinvention.

A represents the front of a dwelling-house or other building, to whichmy fire-escape is attached. B is a metallic frame, permanently attachedto the wall A, and provided with two side arches, 0 (3, connected nearthe top by a rod, a, and also forming journal-bearings for a drum, D, towhich the ladder is attached. This ladder consists of two strongly-wovenwire stretchers, G G, connected by metallic rounds or cross-bars G G ofoval or other suitable form. At the bottom of the ladder is attached avery heavy cross-bar, G I) b are the journals of the drum D, as shown.The journal b is constructed to receive on its end a crank, by means ofwhich the drum may be rotated to roll up the ladder. The other journal,b, is extended a suitable distance beyond the arch (J on that side, andis formed with screw-threadsto receiveanut, d, and between this nut andthe arch is a spiral spring, 0, surrounding the journal. To this arch Ois pivoted an arm, H, the end of which is flanged. to rest on and holdthe nut d from rotating. At this end of the drum D, inside of the arch,is formed or attached a circumferentiallygrooved wheel or disk, D,provided on its inner side with a series of inwardly-projecting pins, hh. This disk or wheel has also a series of slots, h, through it, and onits edge are two or more hook-shaped notches, h, as shown.

The pins h are intended to operate a bellhainmer, I, for strikingandsounding an alarmbell, I I is a spring for actuating the bellhammer I.

On the other side of the apparatus is a spring-brake, J, pivoted to theframe B, and intended to operate against the periphery of the drum D atthat end. The movement of the brake J on its pivot is limited by a pin,3 projecting from the frame B through a slot, at, in the brake, nearitspivoted end.

The entire apparatus, when the ladder is rolled up on the drum, isinclosed within a casing composed of two parts, L L, hinged one on eachside of the frame B, and meet ing in the center, with a spring-catch, Lfor holding them closed. The casings L L are further, at their hinges,provided with springs L arranged in such a manner that as soon as thespring-catch L is released said springs L will instantaneously throw thecasings outward away from the apparatus.

0n the inside of the casing L, in suitable bearings, is placed a shaft,R, having at one end an arm, R to operate against the springcatch, L andat the other end said shaft has a crank-arm, R as shown. The othercasing, L is provided with a hinged springcatch, P, which passes througha slotted stud, P, projecting from the frame B, and is intended tooperate against the spring-brake J, as hereinafter described.

Supposing that the casings L L are open, and the ladder run down then,before winding up the ladder, raise the bell-hammer I sufficiently highto slip a bolt, i, in the arch on that side under it. Then raise theflanged arm or brace H clear up out of the way, and run the nut d nearlyout to the end of the journal b. Turn the crank toward the inside,winding up the ladder toward the inside of the drum until the bottomround G of the ladder is about midway between the drum and the lowerpart of the casings or covers. The brake J is then turned onto the edgeof the drum, which, by friction, will hold the ladder from running down.

m is a wire or cord, passed through an eyebolt, n, near the lower end ofthe frame B, and

has a pin, m, attached to its upper end. This wire or cord is drawn upon the inside of the wheel D, and passed between the bell-lever and archin the groove of said wheel, and the pin placed in one of the notches7L2. The bellhammer I is then let down on the bell I and the brace Hturned down on the nut d. The casing or cover L is first turnedcarefully inward, until by turning the drum a little either way the endof the crank It can enter one of the holes or slots k in the wheel D.This cover is now held perfectly shut, and then the other cover, L isbrought inward and the two shut close and tight together, and held bythe spring-catch L The wire or cord m, above mentioned, is to passthrough other eyebolts on the side of the window-frame, on the outside,as far down as desired. By pulling on this wire or cord the wheel D willbe turned, which, by means of the crank R turns the shaft It so that thearm R will release the spring-catch L and the covers spring open. Thecover L in flying open, will, by means of the spring-catch P, draw thefriction-brake J ofl' from the drum. This will liberate the ladder,which will run down immediately, and at the same time ring thefire-alarm by the pins h. in succession operating the bell-hammer I.

A person in the window above where the machine is fastened can run theladder down and sound the alarm by simply pressing a knob on the outsideof the covers, said knob projecting from the catch L Of course the crankused in winding up the ladder will have to be taken off before the lastcover is closed, and is to be kept in a suitable place to be used whenrequired.

It will be noticed that, as the ladder runs down, the arm or brace Hwill prevent the nut d from turning, which nut will therefore run towardthe frameand press the spiral spring 6. This will cause the wheel D torub against the arch 0, thus acting as a brake, preventing the ladderfrom stopping with a sudden jerk, which might in time injure themachine.

The nut 11, by being placed at the proper distance from the end of thejournal, can be made to operate on any length of ladder.

The bottom round G of the ladder is made heavier than the others, forthe purpose of starting the ladder running down easily, and

also for holding the ladder steadier when it isdown.

These machines are intended to be put up as close under the window-sillsas they can be placed so that a person in the upper window can easily'reach the knob for opening the covers, and so that a person can climbover the machine to the ladder.

These machines, being always ready and cagoing up or down. It not onlyaifords egress to people in the building, but will be found of greatvalue to firemen extinguishing fire, for when the alarm is heard it notonly awakens the inmates immediately, but also informs the neighborhoodthat there is a fire in the build-' lug.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The spring-cover L with hinged springcatch 1, in combination with thebrake J, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of thegrooved wheel D, having slots h and notches hthe cord or wire m, with pin m, the spring-cover L, shaft R, with arm Rand crank R and the springcatch L all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination of the arches O G, drum D, with threaded journal I),nut 01, spring a, and arm or brace H, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

IRA DAVIS GROSS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES T. BENDER, JAMES H. BORLAND.

